Policies

1. West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is a partnership between seven metropolitan councils of the West Midlands.
2. Use of West Midlands Combined Authority website is governed by these Terms and Conditions. Your use of this site constitutes acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.
3. West Midlands Combined Authority may at any time revise these Terms and Conditions. It is up to the user to regularly review the Terms and Conditions in case there are any changes. Continued use of the WMCA website after a change has been made is to be treated as acceptance of that change by the user.
4. Disclaimer - Whilst West Midlands Combined Authority tries hard to ensure that the website is functioning correctly and is as accurate possible, this may not always be achievable and the following disclaimer applies:
5. a) The website is provided “as is” without any representation or endorsement made and without warranty of any kind whether express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of satisfactory quality, fitness for a particular purpose, compatibility, non-infringement, accuracy and security. West Midlands Combined Authority does not guarantee or represent the accuracy of content and/or facilities available or accessible via the website will always be accurate, complete or current or that access to the website will be uninterrupted
6. b) West Midlands Combined Authority expressly disclaims all liability for any direct, indirect or consequential loss or damage occasioned from the use or inability to use the website, whether directly or indirectly resulting from inaccuracies, defects, viruses, errors – whether typographical or otherwise, omissions, out of date information or otherwise.
7. c) Accessing the website and the downloading of material is solely at the user’s own risk. The user will be solely responsible for any resulting damage to software or computer systems and/or any resulting loss of data even if West Midlands Combined Authority has been advised of the possibility of such damage 5. Links
8. a) The website may contain links to other websites over which West Midlands Combined Authority has no control. Such links are supplied solely for the convenience of users. West Midlands Combined Authority will not accept any liability for the contents or reliability of the linked websites and does not endorse the views expressed within them or the organisations or persons providing them in any way. West Midlands Combined Authority does not guarantee the operability of these links and has no control over the availability of the linked pages.
9. b) Providers of other websites may place text-based links to pages on the West Midlands Combined Authority website without seeking prior permission. However such links must not open West Midlands Combined Authority pages into frames within another website. Pages from the West Midlands Combined Authority website must be loaded into the user’s entire browser window. The use of the West Midlands Combined Authority logo or the logos of any associated or subsidiary organisations must not be used for promotional or linking purposes unless prior approval in writing has been given. Please contact the ???? (jennings@dudley.gov.uk ) for further details on obtaining such approval.
10. Jurisdiction - These Terms and Conditions will be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction over disputes between a user and West Midlands Combined Authority arising out of the access or use of these websites. Omission by West Midlands Combined Authority to exercise any right under these terms and conditions will not constitute a waiver of such right unless expressly stated by West Midlands Combined Authority in writing. These Terms and Conditions, together with our privacy policy constitute the entire Agreement between West Midlands Combined Authority and you.
11. Copyright - Unless expressly stated the copyright and other intellectual property rights (such as, design rights, trademarks, patents etc) in any material on the West Midlands Combined Authority website remains the property of West Midlands Combined Authority (or as the case may be another rightful owner). West Midlands Combined Authority owned material on the website including text and images, may not be printed, copied, reproduced, republished, downloaded, posted, displayed, modified, reused, broadcast or transmitted in any way, except for the user’s own personal non-commercial use. Permission for any other type of use must be obtained.

The world is facing many environmental challenges including climate change, resource depletion and pollution. As a consequence the Government has set targets to move the UK to a low carbon future and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We believe that we have a shared responsibility to support these global challenges, national aspirations and to help to create a sustainable future in our role as the region’s Combined Authority.

Our environmental strategy is based on the concept of sustainable development and continual improvement. It sets out our objectives and approach to minimising the carbon impact of WMCA operations and our commitment to working with partners to facilitate sustainable public transport growth.

We are in a perfect position to assist with the transformation change needed to strengthen and create opportunities in the region that will meet the needs and aspirations of local communities, our stakeholders and the needs of the environment. This means we are fully committed to action, including a commitment to sustainable travel by our staff, and supporting organisations across the region to implement Travel Plans.

See our Environmental Policy and Environmental Strategy 2014-19

Our Equalities Vision

Our Equality and Diversity Vision is integral to our overall vision of improving the quality of life of everyone who lives and works in the West Midlands and is embedded in our values, strategic aims, policies and day to day activities.

We put equality and diversity at the heart of the business. We value the diversity of our customers, staff, suppliers, partners and all the people we work with and are committed to treating everyone fairly and achieving equal outcomes for all. 

We strive to creative a positive working environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect and provide services and implement strategies that meet the diverse needs of people in the West Midlands. 

We will:

• Work in a way which promotes equality and diversity and which does not discriminate against any of our staff, service users, partners and people living in the region.
• Take into account and value individual and group differences and implement policies that recognise people’s different needs.
• Challenge any instance of inequality and proactively address the different needs of our employees and people in the region.
• Proactively engage and consult with people to understand the diverse society in which we operate, ensure our policies and services meet key needs and that there is public involvement and influence in decision making, planning, policy and service delivery
• Continue to strive towards a culture that is diverse and inclusive that recognises the benefits and opportunities of having a diverse community of staff.
• Strive to ensure that everyone can access our services, facilities and information
• Ensure equalities and diversity are priorities across all parts of the organisation, including at senior level

See our Equality Scheme 2017-19 and Equality and Inclusion Review

West Midlands Combined Authority Complaints Handling Procedure

Complaints are dealt in accordance with our Complaints Handling Procedure, as detailed below.

Who we are

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is comprised of 18 local authorities and four Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) working together to move powers from Whitehall to the West Midlands and our locally elected politicians, who know this region best.

Our Complaints Handling Procedure explains what you can expect from us if you need to make a complaint.

What happens if something goes wrong

You can contact the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) in a number of ways. This includes by phone, email, online or by post. Please visit our Contact us page for more details.

If your complaint is regarding travel, please visit the Network West Midlands website and your complaint will be handled by our Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) team.

If your complaint is regarding general council services, please contact your local council teams.

What you can expect from us

If you raise a complaint with a member of our staff, they will do all they can to resolve the problem straight away. However, we will tell you if this is not possible. We aim to resolve complaints within 10 working days, however some investigations may take longer as we may need to liaise with third parties. We will acknowledge your complaint and keep you updated on our progress until the case is resolved.

To help us with our investigation, we ask that you include as much information in your complaint as possible, for example;

• Your contact details;
• Date, time and location (if applicable);
• Detail of your complaint; and
• Any other relevant information that you can provide.

Complaints relating to third parties

If you make a complaint which relates to a third party supplier, we will work with the provider to investigate thoroughly the details of your complaint and co-ordinate a response accordingly. This will involve us sharing your information with the third party. Depending on the nature of the complaint, we may pass this on directly to the third party, where it will be managed in accordance with their own complaints handling procedure. Please see our Privacy Policy for more details.

What happens if you are still not happy

If you are not happy with the way we have resolved your complaint, you can ask for this to be reviewed or escalated to our Customer Services Team Leader. In the unlikely event you are not happy with that outcome, you can ask for your complaint to be reviewed or escalated to our Customer Relations Manager for a final review and response.

Local Government Ombudsman

You can contact the Local Government Ombudsman at any time about your complaint. However, the Ombudsman usually gives the Combined Authority the opportunity to investigate first.

Local Government Ombudsman

PO Box 4771

Coventry

CV4 OEH

Phone: 0300 061 0614

Text: 'call back' to 0762 481 1595

Lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.00pm (except public holidays)

Website: www.lgo.org.uk